Native to North America (Turtle Island), these Common Elderberry (Sambucus canadensis var.) bushes will dazzle you with their white flowers and dark purple berries--both of which can be important parts of your medicine cabinet or diet.
 
If you have a small space or great expanses to plant, Elderberries are a great plant as they have a mature height and diameter of 8ft. 
 
Take a look at the available varieties, which have been cultivated for exceptional qualities, such as flavour, amount of berries/flowers produced, vigour, and more. These are not seedlings (grown from seed).
 
Mature height: 8ft
 
Hardiness zones: 3 - 7
 
Pollination: Self-fertile, although better with at least 2  different varieties
 
Variety Details:
 
Adams
- One of the oldest cultivated varieties found outdoors in New York in the 1920s.
- Indeterminate flowering with berries that ripen later.
- Berry clusters are large, berries are smaller.
 
Bob Gordon
- Perhaps more of a variety, than a cultivar, as it was retrieved from the outdoors in Missouri and then cultivated.
- Big dark berry clusters tend to hang down, which may deter some birds from eating.
- The most vigorous grower, even during drought in our sandy loam soils.
- Ripens later in the season, so recommended for hardiness zone 5+.
 
Johns
- Large berries
- Relatively vigorous plant
- Ripens later in the season; berries are ready in late summer
- Most other elderberry varieties will pollinate 
 
Kent
- Seedling of Adams cultivar developed in Kentville, NS research station.
- Great producer of deep purple/black berries with dark juice. 
- Pollinates well with earlier flowering cultivars, such as Ranch and Nova.

Nova
- Developed in the Kentville NS research centre.
- Earliest ripener that pollinates well with Kent and Ranch.
- Larger, sweet, deep red-purple fruit.
 
Ranch
- Robust, determinant growth of sturdy upright stems, and abundant flowers and berries.
- Drought tolerant
- Ripens earlier than many other varieties. Plant other early ripening varieties for best pollination.
- Grows in most soil types, although not the best in high pH soil types.
 
Scotia
- Grown from the seeds of Adams 2 released in 1960 from research station in Kentville, Nova Scotia.
- Fruit ripens earlier in the season and is relatively large and sweeter. 
- The most vigorous grower in our sandy acidic soils.
 
Victoria
- Grown from the seeds of Adams 2 released in 1960 from research station in Kentville, Nova Scotia.
- Vigorous producer of deep purple berry clusters that ripen early and have excellent colour.
- Ripens earlier.
 
York
- Large, productive plant developed in New York in 1964.
- Deep red, large berries in big clusters.
- Ripens mid season.